Coding: Learning in Disguise
Our students can write computer code!
Try it yourself here! code.org/learn
Just imagine your child learning how to write a computer program! In third grade, no less!
That is exactly what students in our classes did on Wednesday as part of a world-wide event called Hour of Code. More than seventy five million people around the world participated in the Hour of Code and have been introduced to coding, also known as programming.
During the hour of Code on Wednesday, both of our classes joined together in one room armed with our laptops and thinking skills. Students could choose between the Angry Birds Challenge or The Frozen challenge.
Once they started students were taught how a computer program tells the computer what to do. Then students used visual programming blocks, which are colored blocks with actual programming code attached to them, to tell a character what to do. After successfully completing one challenge the students moved onto the next more difficult challenge. There were 20 challenges in all.
At first students were able to guess successfully by moving a variety of code blocks onto the screen. But that only lasted for a few challenges before they were forced to begin figuring out why their character, called a "sprite", did not do what they thought it would. Now students had to begin using their brain power.
In order to be successful students had to harness many skills in reading and math including sequencing events, problem solving, cause/effect, close reading, collaboration, perseverance and many more. Several students had difficulty and reported not liking the program after the first half hour. “It doesn’t do what it is supposed to,” they said. During the second half hour, with a little help from Mr. K and Mrs. Cryer these students realized the sprite was doing exactly what the student had told it to do and they needed to change the sequence of code blocks. At the end these same students said they really loved it!
Many students loved it so much they are coding as they walk down the hall and around the school! Mrs. Lazzara, a former Wells Elementary School teacher and now a substitute, got in on the action in the computer lab when she gave Mr. K’s students some time to code during their CORE class. She was amazed at all of the skills students had to use to be successful. Several times during the week we caught her in front of a computer during her lunch break coding!
Our students will continue to have opportunities to learn more about coding through the rest of the year. Mrs. Cryer has set up accounts for students and they will be working on coding in Computer class. Mr. K and I also will be offering opportunities to code at home for homework. Don't worry if you do not have internet access, we will always have a paper versionn available for students.
Want to get in on the action! Check out the Hour of Code.
